System Development Life Cycle Variation

Variations of the Phases (Waterfalls Models)

Project Planning Planning Specifications

Phase Frozen

Analysis Phase Analysis Specifications

Frozen

Design Phase Design Specifications

Frozen
Finished System
Implementation Delivered exactly as
Phase specified

Waterfall Model – each life model is completed in sequence and then the results of the
phase flow on the next phase. There is no going back once a phase is completed.
Iteration across Life Cycle Models

Some Analysis

Some design

Some
Implementation
More Analysis

More Design

More
Implementation
Even More
Analysis

Even More
Design
Even More
Implementation

Iteration means that the work tasks are done once, then again, and yet again.

Spiral Cycle Model – Life cycle model with heavy iteration that breaks each project into
smaller pieces, each a different type of risk

Socio Technical Systems – Information systems that include both social and technical
subsystems designed to work well together

Rapid application Development (RAD) - a variation of the system development life

cycle that aims to speed up radically the development process using a variety of
techniques.

Systems Development Life Cycle – A method of systems development that consists of

planning, analysis, design, implementation, and support phases
Project – a planned undertaking that has a beginning and an end and which produces a
predetermined result or product

Phase – a division of the SDLC in which similar activities are performed

Phases of Systems Development Life Cycle

1. Planning phase – The initial phase of the SDLC whose objective is to scope and
plan the project
Four activities in the Project planning phase
i. Define the problem
ii. Confirm project feasibility
iii. staff the project
iv. launch the project
2. Analysis Phase – one phase of SDLC whose objective is to understand the user’s
needs and develop requirements
Six primary activities in analysis phase
i. gather information
ii. define system requirements
iii. build prototypes for discovery of requirements
iv. prioritize requirements
v. generate and evaluate alternatives
vi. review recommendations with management
Problem domain – the area of the user’s business for which a system is being
developed
3. Design Phase – the phase of the SDLC in which the system and programs are
design
seven major activities done during design phase
i. Design and integrate the network
ii. design the application architecture
iii. design the user interfaces
iv. design the system interfaces
v. design and integrate the database
vi. prototype for design details
vii. design and integrate the system controls
4. Implementation Phase – the phase of the SDLC in which new system is
programmed or installed
Six major activities in implementation phase
i. Construct software components
ii. verify and test
iii. develop prototypes for tuning
iv. convert data
v. train and document
vi. install the system
5. Support Phase – a phase that occurs after the system is initiated. Its objective is to
keep the system running productively during the years following initial
installation.
 Activities include
i. providing support to end users
ii. maintaining and enhancing the computer system.

Help Desk – the availability of the support staff to help the users with any
technical or processing problem associated with an information system.